Biodegradable material the use of biodegradable twine for attaching the netting in gillnets and entangling nets to the frame ropes will allow the netting to drop out of the ropes when the twine rots. The netting will then in most cases sink to the bottom.

Similarly in pots, a panel of biodegradable twine will only allow the gear to be effective for a given amount of time.The loss of fishing gear at sea is a commonplace occurrence and it can occur with no blame to the fishermen. This phenomena is the primary cause of "ghost fishing" term used for lost fishing gear continuing to catch fish after it has been lost or abandoned by the fishermen. The occurrence of ghost fishing is environmentally deleterious and the fish caught is wasted.